From nano- to microscale, the equilibrium of macromolecules in aqueous milieu is set by the electrostatic coupling of their omnipresent bound charges. From the stable configuration of like-charged membrane assemblies [1]} and densely wrapped DNA molecules around histones [2]} to the cohesion of cement paste [3]} and colloidal suspensions [4]}, the electrostatic balance of various biological and chemical systems is mainly regulated by the action of the short-ranged attractive Van der Waals (vdW) [5]}, [6]}, [7]}, [8]}, [9]}, [10]} and long-ranged repulsive double layer forces [11]}, [12]}. The competition between these opposing forces is precisely at the basis of the DLVO theory.
